Improvement in revolving fire-arms



J. RUPERTUS.

v Revolver. 16.425,606.V Y Patented- July 19, 1864.

, u J/y my N-PErERS, PnoroL|THoGnAPMER. WASHINGTON, D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB RUPER'IUS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN REVOLVING FIRE-ARMS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, JACOB RUPERTUS, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, haveinvented an Improvement in Revolving Fire-Arms; and I do hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same,refer ence being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters ofreference marked thereon.

My invention consists of certain improvements, fully describedhereinafter, in fire-arms having barrels containing a number of bores.In order to enable others skilled in the art to make and use myinvention, I Will now proceed to describe its construction andoperation.

On reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of thisspecification, Figure lis a side view of my improved revolving tirearm;Fig. 2, a longitudinal section; Fig. 3, an end' view of the barrel; Fig.4, a transverse section on the line 1 2, Fig. 2, looking in thedirection of the arrow.

Similar letters refer to smilarparts throughout the several views.

A represents the stock, and B the barrel, of my improved rearm, thebarrel having in the present instance eight bores, a, arranged in acircle, the center of which coincides with the axis 5, round which thebarrel revolves, and with the center of the tubular chamber b. Thebreech-pin I), on which the barrel turns, is inserted into this chamber,which is reduced in diameter near the rear end of the barrel, so as tobe adapted to the said breech-pin, the head d otlwhich bears against ashoulder, e, the end of the pin being secured into the stock A. and atubular projection, f, at the rear end of the barrel being arranged totit into and turn in the said stock.

Between the stock and the rear end of the barrel intervenes a circularand movable breechpiece, E, a iiange, h, on which overlaps kthe edge ofa circular plate, i, formed on the stock, on which plate, as well as onthe tubular proiectionf ot' the barrel, the breechpiece is arranged toturn to a limited extent.

It should be understood that the bores of the barrel are arranged forthe reception (at the rear) of the ordinary metallic cartridges, thecharged iianges of which intervene between the rear of the barrel andthe breech-piece, a notch, m, being cut at one point in the latter topermit the end of the hammer to strike the flange of that cartridgewhich is contained in T the uppermost bore of the barrel.

The breech-piece E and the circular plate t ofthe stock are cut away atone point, as seen in Fig. 4, so as to afford room for the introductionof the cartridges into the bores of the barrel.

To the breech-piece, near the point thus cut away, is hinged a door, G,which, when closed against the said breech-piece, covers the part cutaway, but which, when open, as seen in Fig. 4, permits the introductionof the metallic cartridges into the bores of the barrel. This door isprovided with a lip or projection, a, and with a notch, q, which,together with a notch, t, at the rear of the breech-piece, will bealluded to hereinafter.

The rear end of the tubular projection f is provided with angular teethsimilar to those on the cylinders of ordinary revolving firearms, tbeteeth being acted on by a dog, which is caused to turn the barrel duringthe cocking of the hammer.

As the hammer, dog, and lock are similar to those of other revolvinghre-arms, it .has not been deemed necessary to illustrate them in thedrawings.

To the trigger H, which is also of the usual construction, is securedthe spring I, the upper and rounded end of which is arranged to engageinto the notch t of the breech-piece and into the notch q of the door.

It will be observed that the barrel, although containing alarge numberof bores,is rendered very light by its peculiar construction.

The boresot the barrel, instead of being parallel with the axial line 5,round which the barrel revolves, as in otheriire-arms of this class, allconverge to one point in this line. In other words, the center of eachbore at the front e'nd of the barrel is nearer to the axial line 5 thanat the rear end of the barrel. By this arrangement and by removing themetal so as to form the central tubular chamber, b, I have been enabledto form a very light barrel, and yet one of appropriate strength. Thebarrel is rendered still lighter by removing from its outside, at pyints m, Fig. 3, between the bores, as much metal as possible, takingcare to leave at a point parallel with the center of each bore alongitudinal ridge, y, by means of which the proper sighting ot' thetire-arm is effected.

A rod, K, passes through the center of the tubular chamber b, the head7c of the rod fitting snugly but freely into the front end of thechamber, the end of the rod being secured into an orifice in thebreech-pin D, so that it can be readily removed and used as aninstrument for forcing the spent cartridges from the rear of thechambers.

Prior toloadin g the firearm the breech-piece E is removed to theposition shown in Fig. 4, when the end ofthe spring I engages into thenotch t. When the breech-piecehas been moved to this position, and isthere lightly held by the said spring, the operator can depress the doorG and introduce a cartridge into one of the bores ofthe barrel, thelatter being turned until a cartridge can be inserted into another bore,and so on until every bore is charged, after which the door G is closedand the breechpiece is turned back in a contrary direction to thatpointed out by the arrow, Fig. 4, and until the lip n of the door comesin contact With the stock A and the end of the spring I enters the notchq, when the fire-arm is in a condition to be discharged.

In loading the lire-arm no accidental discharge of the cartridges cantake place, for when the loading is being effected the notch m in thebreech-piece, through which the hammer must pass, is turned away fromthe course of the hammer, so that the latter, should it accidentallyfall, cannot reach the charged dan ges of the cartridges. The samesafety can beinsured, when the loaded firearm has to be carried in thepocket, by turning the breech-piece to the position shown in Fig. 4.

It will be evident that the peculiar method of constructing the barrel Bis applicable to the cylinders of ordinary revolving tire-arms.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. Abreech-piece, E, intervening between the rear end of the barrel and thestock, when the said breech-piece is .arranged to turn, sub stantiallyas set forth.

2. The notch m, formed at or near the edge of the said breech-piece, asset forth, for the purpose specified.

3. The combination of the said movable breech-piece with the door G orits equivalent.

4. The said movable breech-piece, with its notches t and q, incombination With the spring I.

In testimony whereofl have signed my name to this specication inpresence of two subscribin g witnesses.

JACOB RUPERTUS.

W'tnesses:

CHARLES E. FOSTER, CHARLES HoWsoN.

